This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application Number 2003-8708 filed Jan. 16, 2003, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pressure fryer including a cooking container for containing cooking oil that is capable of being hermetically sealed and a heating means for heating the cooking container so as to cook foods, such as fried chicken or fried potatoes, with pressure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a fryer include a cooking container for containing cooking oil, a heating means, such as a burner, for heating the cooking container, and a controller serving as a control means for controlling the operation of the heating means. Further, the operation of the heating means is controlled according to a cooking program stored by the controller, which enables the fryer to cook foods (see, for example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2002-223953A).
Among these conventional fryers, a pressure fryer is known in which a cooking container that is capable of being hermetically sealed is provided and steam that is vaporized from moisture generated by the foods is kept in the cooking container to cook foods with pressure, whereby, the cooking time can be shortened and food is cooked desirably.
In such a fryer, the application of pressure is fully conducted with sufficient steam that is generated from moisture of the foods when a maximum amount of food is cooked. On the other hand, when only a small amount of food is cooked, the application of pressure is conducted inadequately due to a lack of steam generated from moisture of the foods. In order to compensate for the deficiency of steam, a supply of steam ia applied by heating a container filled with water in the cooking container. In this case, however, it is difficult to adjust the amount of the steam. Due to this, the cooked foods can be damp because of excessive steam, or the cooking oil might suddenly boil due to water that is infused into the cooking oil.
The object of the present invention is to provide a pressure fryer which can constantly conduct the desired pressure cooking regardless of the amount of food provided in the cooking container.